The Brewer–Dobson circulation in the JRA‐3Q reanalysis and the impact of changes in model physical processes

Abstract

AbstractThis study evaluates the climatology and trends of the Brewer–Dobson circulation (BDC) in the Japanese Reanalysis for Three Quarters of a Century (JRA‐3Q) reanalysis compared with those in the Japanese 55‐year reanalysis (JRA‐55) and ERA5 reanalyses. The spatial structure of the BDC shows good agreement among the reanalyses. However, zonal mean tropical upwelling near the lower stratosphere in JRA‐3Q is approximately 80% of that in JRA‐55 throughout the reanalysis period. The long‐term trend of BDC intensity for the period 1948–2022 showed a slight increase in JRA‐3Q and in JRA‐55, whereas that in ERA5 decreased. To investigate the cause of the difference in tropical upwelling between JRA‐3Q and JRA‐55, data assimilation sensitivity experiments were conducted by modifying the forecast model used in the data assimilation system. These results indicate that the difference in BDC intensity between JRA‐3Q and JRA‐55 can be primarily attributed to diabatic heating in the tropical troposphere produced in the forecast model. However, the difference between JRA‐3Q and ERA5 cannot be accounted for by diabatic heating in the forecast model. It is also found that the implementation of the non‐orographic gravity wave drag parameterisation scheme in the JRA forecast model is not the reason for the weaker BDC in JRA‐3Q.